Automatic switching apparatus for telephone-exchange systems.



J. L. McQUARRIE. AUTOMATIC SWlTCHING APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. m7.

1 ,290,6 1 6. Patented. J an. 7, 1919.

iiii4-6 ll IL //1 venror:

James L. M flum rfe.

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1 which is adapted to be selectively. moved to.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES McQUAIRRIE, or MONTCLAIB, new assienon 'ro WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, rnconronarnp, or NEW 03K; 1\ T$Y'., a'conrona'rron or NEW yonx.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR 'QELEPI IONE-EXCHAHG E SYSTEMS.

vin cost of production and maintenance. 5 In accordance w1th the general features of this 1nvent1on, means are provlded whereby a large number of multiple contacts accessible to any one of a plurality of brushes-may, without the use of banker connecting Wires, be grouped into a space of'su'ch area. that any one of the brushes may be moved'ihto engagement with any-multiple contact with-- in the bank in stepsof alength possible'to attain easily and within a period of. time foundtofbe desirable and practical in such system K A vform ofswitching device in. which this inventionmay be embodied is onegin which a plurality of-layers of multiple contactsare. mounted in superimposed relation to each 14,

other and brushes-are provided', eachof the said layers and transversely tOthec nT tacts of a selected layer. A well-knownfform of brush operating mechanism may beused in which the brush may be s electively stepped I to a desired layer in a direction at right angles to the planes of the layers, androtated transversely across the face: of a selected layer to a desired contact set.

Another feature of this invention relates to'the construction of the switch bank whereby the contact strips may, bemounted- 1n a small space without sacrificing; the clearance space between vertically adjacent strlpsbetween which the brushes have to move. In accordance with the feature ofthe invention the-layers of multiple contacts are arranged in two groups. upon oppositesides of brush.

carrying shafts. The contactistrips of each group. are mountedin superimposedfrelation ;to each other and the; contact strips Patented Jan. '7, 1919.

Application filed March 30, 191 7. Serial No. 158,567.

group are verticallystaggered with respect to the contact strips of the other group. Each brush shaft carries a single brush set and is adaptedto be rotated in either direction to bring its brush set into engagement with the contacts of a strip to which the brushset may be movedby the vertical movement of the shaft.

In accordance with another feature of this invention the layers'of multiplecontacts are mounted upon hinged frame members'which. may be swung outwardly without disturbing electrical connections to render the parts readily accessible forvrepairor replacement.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a'switch embodying the features of inventiomillustrating also a circuit with which maybe used;:Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryplan view of theswitch bank showing a set ,otbrushegand-Fig. 3 is a plan view-of the device'showing a plurality of contact surfaces and cooperating. brushes.

As shown in. t e Tdrawin gs, 1 the contact ba k comp ise a uralit fm ip es tact strips 5', 5 g and. ,6, 6 mounted in groups 7 and 8;.uponopposi'te .sides of a shaft '9,

Y arryi g b she 1 .1.1 and 1- he H1111-v contact strips'b', 5 16,. .6 are identical eons't i n 2 c mp se p a t'y or iongiadinally en ng t ip 13, o J 9f c nfrln i l m r l. ar n in sets. o one o "each Q: h S ps 14, 15 a set, the} separate fs t'ri'ps ofleach set being eparate Jby s la ing materi l. a t se 'arate' .s ets .bliig' insulated from each ot er. Tl k stri smart each. .provided jbe-L ween t i T6 with. a .Pl f li y pro: jecting ,cgntact surfapes.. l6,.l he strips 14 with Pr'Q JQliD I c nt d gsnrf es l .7; and h s ipi 1 I h me ting totem Si f s 8,71 h CQIlfii fififi 15;;1 an 3 f trii s 3, 1, he S m e arel tujclin'ally fiparated from each v other while he, con ctisu a e 1 1 .18. 9 the responding strips of 'the' several sets arearranged inthe arc of a circle,the,contact surc' 6. i i heatr of lci' eleldscrih d by the'brushlO, the contact surfacesjl'l'being infthe 'arc of a circle described by the'brush 11 and the contact. surfaces 18 being in the re Qfa cir le-d scribed y th brush The multiple contact strips 5, 5 of the gro pv Tarcgagnnts a upcr xnpqsed the hae 9 i lation to each other-andthe strips- 6,6 of the gr0up8 are mounted in a superimposed relation to each other. However, the contact strips 5,?) are vertically staggered with respect to the contact strips 6', 6, this staggering' being such that the vertically adjacent strips of opposite groups are one- ;ve rtical step of the shaft 9 apart, while adjacent strips of the same group; are two vertical steps of the shaft 9 apart. A pluralit'y' 'of" brush shafts 9, 9 are provided; eachecarry ing a set of the brushes 10, 11 and 1:2, each brush 1 set beingadapteduto' engage arcuate,

, rows of" contact surfaces of multiple The several multiple'cOntact-strips -G, 6 comprising the gr0up 8 situatedioir-one side of'the brush shafts 9, are arranged-in proper spaced relation to each other and-mounted in supporting members 61.; Therewill be two of these supports, one at each end of the strips The} strips 6 areheldfirmly clamped in position by means of bolts-such as 62, which pass throughthe over-turned ends ofsupport 61 and pass between adjacent strips 6. Fastened' to the support'fil', by means of theib'olt 63, is a hinge 64-, one'endbf which is bent in the form of a circle'and j is loosely pivoted ''upon the stationary 10d By such anarrangement, the group of contact stripsftl' is "pivotally supportedupon the rod 65 and-it may beswung-'outjfaway from the shafts 9 to permit; of'insp'ection'" and repair; Similarly l the group "7; f of: contact strips eon: h other side0f th'eshafts 9, in a" support :66 and, pivoted; to

is mounted X rod65'by means ofa' hinge 6:71" The mechanism for operatingeach" offthe brush shafts'9 embracesfa "vertical magnet Q ad e -t9 raise hif Q' fi PffbYj Step: through the agency of. a' pawl; 21 and teeth 22-; 22 'onisa'id shaft. fltotatioiiof the shaft 9 in.eitherdirectionisobtained by means of eating ic fjp 5"a11 -Frat e wheel 26 to rotate said'shaft in a counter clockw'se direction, whilelthe magnet 24 operates a pawl 27 and ratchet 2 8; to rotate? circuits of the two war magnets 23 and 24. Vertical and rota pawn 33 55 tlaF g t e pp r o his n e tion; is 'illustrated as a selectorin'iwhich "the brushes 1 0 11 and 12 are adapted to be se'fl lectively stepped to a predetermined layerj and to automatically hunt over he'contacts of the layer until it 'idle et pfcpn Assummg asa specific example that-the subscriber at a station A wishes to obtain connection with a circuit'terminating, say, in the fourth layer of the multiple contacts or the secondone in group 8 and. that he has already been connected with brushes or wipers 37, 87 through the agency of a line switch, contacts of which are indicated at 4,0, 41, 42.

Assoon as the subscriber A has had his line putinto connection with the wipers 37, 37,-.a circuit will be-completed for a double wound line relay 45, this circuit including the line wires of the subscriber A Upon energization the line relay 45 will open a backicontacteo and close a front contact 47, the closure of the front contact completing a circuitfor a slow release relay 48, which, upon 'energizatiomopens aback contact 49, and closes a front contact 50. The closure of the front contact 50 closes a break in a circuit for the vertical stepping magnet 20, which circuitalsoh-includes a horizontal off-normal: contact HON-, but so long asrelay 45 remains energized, thereis no flow of currentoverthis circuit. 'As soon,however, as the subscriber-atstation A operateshis dial he willcause-interruption-of the circuit'of the relay4 5,j causing it to-decnergize and energize in response to these breaks. At each closure 'ofthe' contact e6 in response toithese interruptlons ofthe line circuit, however, a circult wi1lbe-'completedfor'the vertical as:

ma'gfnetQO, which circuit includes the contact 46of'relay 4C5, contact 5O of relay 48 and HON fcontact. i-Assumin'gthatjthe subscriber'A dialedfor four impulses, the vertical nua,g ;net'f'will receive four impulses to stew the brush shaft 9-'up' andbringthe brusheslO, 11 and 12 thereon into a position to bemoved over an-2 arcuate row of contacts on the secondstripfi from thejbottom Ofrel ayJ ISL -Thisrelay 51 remains energized duringthe' sending" of "the impulses'to' mainj tain a circuit'through. its none contact 52 for an escapement "magnet 5325 Upon cessa'- tionoffiinpulsesithrough the liiiej an 45,-

however, will b "maintainedienergized to open the circuit ofthe r'ela'y '51; thereby causingl'th ltiei fgization fofthe es'capement magnet 53 and"the movement from their firstfj into'th eir second positions of sideswitch wipers 37, 37 54, 55and 56'. As soon asgthe's de switch wiper 5.6 is moved into its second'position', a circuit will be completed for' the rotary magnet 23, including the front contact 47 of-relay '45, side-switch wiper 56, 1

the contact '30"'car ried by the shaft 9 a contact 'fiZ which is the fourth from the, bottomland the second one ofthe group designated by the reference "character 32,

This will energize the stepping magnet 23,

which will draw up its armature to engage the pawl 25 with the ratchet wheel 26 to cause the shaft 9 to take one rotary step, which will open contact HON and thereby interrupt the circuit of the vertical magnet 20. Each energization of the magnet 23 causes it to interrupt its own circuit at interrupter contact 57, thereby causing said rotary magnet to become energized and deenergized so long as side-switch wiper 56 remains in its second position. In its second position, the side-switch wiper 54 connects the escapement magnet 53 with a conductor 60, leading to brush 12, which may be used as a test brush. The first rotary step of the shaft 9 will land this brush on a contact 18 which, if any of the multiple contact-s in that row are busy, will be free from ground connections, thereby maintaining the escapement magnet 53 de'e'nergized. As soon, however, as brush 12 lands on a contact 18 which has a ground on it, the circuit through the escape magnet 53 will be completed and it will be energized to cause the side-switch wipers 37 37 54, 55 and 56 to move from their second into their third positions. The escape magnet is arranged in the well-known manner to move the side switch to third position upon energization. The movement of the side-switch wiper 56 into its third position interrupts the energizing circuit throughj the rotary magnet 23. The movement of the side-switch arm 55 into its third position closes a break 1n the c rcuit of the release magnet 35, which circuit also includes vertical off-normal contact VON.

Had the terminals sought been in one of the layers in the group 7 the operation would have been precisely the same except that the contact arm 30 would have been stepped on one of the contacts 31 controlling the circuit of the stepping magnet 24.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of superimposed fiat multiple contact strips, each of said strips comprising a plurality of multiple contact members having contact portions at different positions along the length there of, the contact portions at each of said positions being arranged in an arcuate row, the contact portions of all the rows of the same strip lying in a common plane, a movable brush at each of said positions arranged to cooperate with the contact portions at such positions, means for moving said brushes to select one of said contact strips, and means for rotating said brushes to engage the contact portions of the selected strip.

2. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of superimposed fiat multiple contact strips,.each of said strips comprising a plurality of multiple contact members having integral contact portions at different positions along the length thereof, the contact portions at each of said positions being arranged in an arcuate row, the contact portions of all the rows of the same strip lying in a common plane, a movable brush at each of said positions arranged to cooperate with the contact portions at such positions, means for moving said brushes vertically to select a contact strip, and means for rotating said brushes into engagement with the contact portions of a selected strip.

3. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of flat multiple contact strips, each strip comprising a plurality of multiple contact members having contact portions at different positions along the length thereof, the strips of one group being staggered with respect to the strips of the other of said groups, movable brushes one for cooperating with the contact portions at each of said positions, and means for selectively moving said brushes to the contact strips of either of said groups and into engagement with the contact portions of a selected strip.

4. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of flat multiple contact strips, each strip comprising a plurality of multiple contact members having contact portions at different positions along the length thereof, the contact portions at each of said positions lying in a common plane, the strips of one group being staggered with respect to the strips of the other of said groups, movable brushes one for C0- operating with the contact portions at each of said positions, and means to advance said brushes to select a contact strip in either group and to further advance said brushes into engagement with the contact portions of the selected strip.

5. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of superimposed flat multiple contact strips, each strip comprising a plurality of multiple contact members having contact portions at different positions along the length thereof, the contact portions of each strip all lying in a common plane, the contact strips of one group being vertically staggered with re spect to the strips of the other group, movable brushes arranged at each of said positions to cooperate with the contact portions at such positions, and means for moving said brushes to select a contact strip in either group and for moving said brushes into engagement with the contact portions of the selected strip.

6. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of multiple contact strips, the contact strips of each group being mounted in superimposed rela tion to each other and contact strips in one group being staggered with respect to contact strips in the other group, and brushes each adapted to be selectivelv moved to strips of either group and transversely into engagement with contacts of a selected strip.

7 In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of multiple contact strips, the contact strips of each group being mounted in superimposed rela tion. to each other and the contact strips in one group being vertically staggered with respect to the contact strips of the othergroup, vertically and rotatably movable shafts mounted between said groups of contact strips, and a brush carried by each of said shafts adapted to be selectively moved to strips of either group in the vertical movement of said shaft and transversely into engagement with contacts of a selected strip in the rotary movement of said shaft.

8. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of multiple contact strips, the contact strips of each group being mounted in superimposed relation to each other and the contact strips in one group being vertically staggered with respect to the contact strips of the other group, a plurality of brushes, a shaft for each of said brushes mounted between said groups of contact strips, and selectively controlled means for each of said shafts for moving it vertically and rotating it in either direction.

9. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of multiple contact strips, the contact strips of each group being mounted in superimposed relation to each other and the contact strips in one group being vertically staggered with respect to the contact strips in the other group,

a plurality of brushes, a shaft for each brush, a stepping magnet individual to each of said shafts for moving it vertically to position its brush adjacent a strip of either group, a pair of electromagnets individual to each of said shafts for rotating said shaft in either direction, and means controlled in the vertical movement of said shaft for determining which magnet of said pair will be effective.

10. In a switching mechanism, a terminal bank comprising two groups of multiple con tact strips, the contact strips of each group being mounted in superimposed relation to each other and the contact strips of one group being vertically staggered with respect to the contact strips of the other group, a plurality of brushes, a shaft for each of said brushes, a vertical magnet individual to each of said shafts for positioning its brush adajacent a contact strip in either group, a pair of rotary magnets individual to each of said shafts, one adapted to rotate the shaft in one direction, the other adapted to rotate said shaft in the other direction, a circuit for each of said rotary magnets, and circuit-controlling means controlled by said shaft in its vertical movement for separately controlling the circuits of said rotary magnets.

11. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of brushes, a shaft individual to each of said brushes, two groups of multiple contact strips located upon opposite sides of said brushes and shafts, and a hinged supporting frame for each group of said contact strips.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of March, A. D. 1917.

JAMES L. MCQUARRIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

